Wire twisting machine



April 8, 1958 J. H. wADswoRTH. 2,829,681

WIRE TWISTING MACHINE.

Filed Feb. 4, 1955 m M a/ware. I

ATTCI R N EYS iti Stat s Pa WIRE TWISTING MACHINE James H. Wadsworth, Bellemore, N. Y.

Application February 4, 1955, Serial No. 486,234

3 Claims. (Cl. 140149) This invention relates to a wire twisting machine.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine which will facilitate the twisting of str-anded wire which has had the insulation removed from its ends.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire twisting machine which permits wire to be twisted quickly and easily.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire twisting machine which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the wire twisting machine, constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the wire twisting machine, constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the machine.

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the machine in use.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral designates a horizontally disposed base which can be made of any suitable material, and extending upwardly from the base 10 and secured thereto is a plurality of spaced parallel vertically disposed securing elements or bolts 11 which may have nuts arranged in engagement with their upper ends, and these nuts may be indicated by the numeral 13. Arranged above the base 10 is a platform 12, and cireumposed on the bolts 11 is a plurality of coil springs 14. The coil springs 14 are interposed between the platform 12 and the base 10.

Extending upwardly from the platform 12 and secured thereto is a support member 15 which has a pad 16 of yieldable material mounted on its upper surface. The pad 16 is provided with a curved portion 17, Figure l, for a purpose to be later described.

Extending upwardly from the base 10 and secured thereto are wall members 18 and 19 which support a shaft 20 that has a large Wheel 21 mounted thereon. The wheel 21 may have a belt or band 22 of yieldable material arranged around its outer periphery. The curved portion 17 of the pad 16 has the same radius of curvature as the wheel 21. There is further provided a shelf 23 which is supported above the base 10, and a conventional motor 24 is mounted on the shelf 23, and the motor 24 is adapted to be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy. The motor 24 operates a shaft 25 which has a roller 26 mounted thereon, and the roller 26 friction'ally engages the outer surface of the wheel 21, to rotate the wheel when the motor 24 is actuated.

In Figure 4 the numeral 27 designates a section of wire which is to be twisted, and the wire 27 includes end portions 29 from which the insulation has been removed, the insulation 28 remaining only on the intermediate portion of the wire as shown in Figure 4. The uncovered insulation free ends 29 of the wire are adapted to be gripped in the hands and the covered portion 28 is positioned between the wheel 21 and pad 16. Thus, when the wheel 21 rotates in a clockwise direction as shown. in Figure 1, and with the ends 29 held by the fingers, the wire will be twisted and can then be deposited or received in a suitable receptacle or box 30 which may be supported on the base 10.

From the foregoing it is apparent that there has been provided a machine which is especially suitable for use in twisting wire such as wire that is to be tinned. In use, the wire to be twisted is prepared as shown in Figure 4, so that the insulation is removed from the ends of the wire leaving only the exposed ends 29 which are gripped by the two hands of the operator of the machine. The intermediate portion of the stranded wire is left covered with insulation 28. Then, with the motor 24 energized, the roller 26 will rotate to thereby cause rotation of the wheel 21 in a clockwise direction. The covered portion 28 of the wire will then be drawn between the wheel and the curved portion 17 of the pad 16 so that by holding onto the ends of the wire the wire will be twisted and the wire can then be dropped into the box or receptacle 30.

With the present invention the ends of wire can be twisted before they are tinned, and the machine can be used in any location where wires are cut and stripped and stored before tinuing. With the present invention the wire can be accurately twisted and both ends are simultaneously twisted and the degree of twist can be controlled by the tension of the operators fingers. The machine can handle wires up to 24 inches in length and can handle wires of different sizes at a high speed.

In use the stripped ends 29 of the wire 27 are held between the thumb and index finger of each hand and the insulated part 28 of the wire rotates between the Wheel 21 and the spring loaded pad 16. The stripped ends 28 are permitted to rotate between the fingers depending upon the amount of twist desired.

The wheel 21 can have any desired dimension and can be made of any suitable material and may have a tight fitting rubber belt 22 on its outer periphery. The machine can be used for preparing wire leads for harness "and cable assemblies. Since the ends of the wire are held by the fingers, the center portion 28 of the wire will rotate to simultaneously twist 'both of the ends which are held by the fingers. The wire, which is then ready for tinning, drops into the box 3'!) at the rear of the machine. The springs 14 permit the support member 15 to move so that different sizes of wires can be accommodated without requiring adjustment. The curved portion 17 has the same radius of curvature as the wheel 21. Preferably the speed of the wheel 21 does not exceed fifty to sixty revolutions per minute.

I claim:

1. In a machine for twisting wires of the strand type from which the insulation has been removed from the ends thereof, a horizontally disposed base, a plurality of vertically disposed spaced parallel securing elements extending upwardly from said base, a substantially square shaped horizontally disposed movable platform mounted at its four corners on said securing elements, coil springs cireumposed on said securing elements and interposed between said platform and base, a support member secured to said platform, a pad mounted on the upper end of said support member and including a curved portion, wall members extending upwardly from said base, a shaft extending between said wall members, a rotary wheel mounted on said shaft with the periphery thereof adjacent said curved portion, a shelf supported above said base, a motor mounted on said shelf, a roller driven by said motor and friction'ally engaging said wheel, the insulated portion of the wire adapted to be positioned between said wheel and said pad portion with the uncovered stripped ends of the wireheld in the hands.

2. The structure 'as defined in claim 1, and further including .a yieldable belt extending around the outer periphery of said wheel.

3. The structure :as defined in claim 1, wherein said pad is made of yieldable material, and wherein there is provided a receptacle for receiving the twisted Wires.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED sTATEs PATENTS Bennett June 7, 1949 Brignall July 13, 1954 Kane Dec. 7, 1954 Preston Dec. 20, 1955 Wirt Mar. 27, 1956 

